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Artistic Depictions of

Phillis Wheatley

Presented by Isabella DeFeo

Phillis Wheatley

1

Who is Phillis Wheatley?

Phillis Wheatley's success and legacy as a poet is astounding because she started as an enslaved African American, kidnapped and sold from the West African nation of Gambia, and transported to Boston, Massachusetts . She was born in 1753, and by 1761, as just a young girl, she was sold to the Wheatley family. But her education made her experience unusual compared to other enslaved people in the 18th century. She learned to read and write and soon after used her intelligence and creativity in the form of poetry. Her writing depicts freedom, inequality and easily draws an emotional response out of readers. Becoming the first African American to be a published poet, especially in the Colonies, was no easy feat and displays an achievement for Black creatives that can be celebrated today. Artists and scholars alike find Wheatley's accomplishments to be remarkable, being inspired by her and depicting her past in the form of artistic depictions that we can see in contemporary culture and daily life today in the 21st century.

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Scipio Moorhead, Phillis Wheatley, 1773.

Sam A. Marandos and Ida Randall, “Promoting Education Opportunities for All – the Phillis Wheatley Legacy!,” National University (Feb 2012), http://asbbs.org/files/ASBBS2012V1/PDF/M/MarandosS.pdf.

1773

Enslaved man Scipio Moorhead painted the first and most popular plus well-known depiction of Phillis Wheatley. It would later be printed and displayed in Wheatley’s book Poems on Various Subjects, Religion and Moral. The print shows her holding a quill pen with her head resting on her other hand, appearing to be in thought. She is poised and proper, seemingly intelligent, and working on her next poem. It is thought that Moorhead included the items on the table, such as a book and ink well, to signify that she was “literate” and “gentile” . As an enslaved person himself, Moorhead, I presume, made these choices to help demonstrate to the white audience her intelligence and creative capabilities.

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“Phillis Wheatley,” The Met, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/396463.

Scipio Moorhead, Phillis Wheatley, 1773.

1773

1973

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Moving into the 20th century, a bust sculpture of Phillis Wheatley was created by Elizabeth Catlett. Motivated by Black feminism, Catlett chose to depict Wheatley in a similar hand pose to Moorhead but made Wheatley’s features very different. The Smithsonian art museum explains that Catlett “gave Wheatley perfect features that many women of West African heritage share” and made her eyes significantly similar to figures in West African artwork. She also gives Wheatley a more relaxed clothing appearance, with a bonnet and minimal design work on the shirt not to draw away from the facial features. You can see in this artistic depiction of Wheatley that it moves her into being portrayed as a figure of Black Power and a symbol of Black womanhood. She exudes power because of her accomplishments for both African Americans and Black females.

Elizabeth Catlett, Phillis Wheatley, 1973, bronze and wood, 21 1/2 x 12 1/4 x 10 1/2 in

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“Oh Freedom! Teaching African American Civil Rights Through American Art,” Smithsonian Institution, https://americanart.si.edu/education/oh-freedom/elizabeth-catlett.

1973

2003

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The city of Boston commissioned a Women’s Memorial dedicated to three female figures in the city's history that contributed to important causes and left an important legacy. Phillis Wheatley is seen in a life-size sculpture form in this public space memorial. This lets her be very accessible to Boston residents and visitors, making her feel like one of their own and is easy to interact with her and her story. It’s celebrating Wheatley as an approachable and deserving figure, especially in historical female accomplishments.

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“Boston Women’s Memorial,” City of Boston, https://www.boston.gov/departments/womens-advancement/boston-womens-memorial.

Meredith Bergmann, Phillis Wheatley portrayed as part of the

Boston Women's Memorial, 2003.

2003

2015

As another sculpture of Wheatley that makes her and her history feel approachable and easy to celebrate, the Smithsonian included a life-size statue of her dressed in similar garbs and holding her quill pen like Moorhead’s print. It’s a part of an exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., which attracts people from all backgrounds and all sides of the world daily. She looks strong and determined, yet her grip on the quill looks fragile and soft. Her face looks feminine, making this sculpture feel life-like and welcoming. In this artistic depiction, she looks like a mother figure to me, which makes sense in a museum that embraces many historical figures and is trying to make the crowd appreciate her even if they’re quickly passing by.

Phillis Wheatley statue, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, D.C. Photo by Will Walker

2015

2019

In today’s age of social media and digital artwork, it was intriguing to see how artists online depict Phillis Wheatley. I found this one from an artist that goes by @mirs-art, which was made to celebrate Black History Month. As a young female, the artist Miranda finds Wheatley’s story and success to be empowering. It’s fascinating to view the typical Wheatley pose, with her hand resting on her face in thought, in a contemporary art style. Wheatley is just as inspiring today, in color and with a soft yet vibrant wash, that makes her feel like a regular teenage girl writing down her thoughts and messages. Just as creative as the artist is.

@mirs-art, Phillis Wheatley Digital Art, 2019

2019

Legacy

Phillis Wheatley's Legacy

As a revolutionary poet and figure, Phillis Wheatley paved the way for not only African American poets but for Black and female creatives alike who are inspired by her dedication towards her work and intellect. To commemorate and keep her story relevant, many statues and sculptures placed in public spaces have been created depicting Wheatley as well as in new and traditional art styles. After the hate and suppression that she endured, it’s essential to keep her today as an empowerment figure and visionary. I’m reminded that poetry is still very powerful, used notably in the Black Lives Matter movement and that it can continue to promote change, especially racially, and to stand up against inequalities. Wheatley gained success in her words but we also remember her today as a face and artistic image for what she went through and how she prevailed when the odds were against her.

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Eleanor Smith, “Phillis Wheatley: A Black Perspective,” The Journal of Negro Education 43, no. 3 (1974): 401–7. https://doi.org/10.2307/2966531.

Her Legacy

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